Red Moscow

  Chapter 695 Tank Prototype (Part 1)

   A new day has begun.

While continuing to attack the Barricade Factory, the Silicate Factory and the Dzerzhinsky Tractor Factory, the German army dispatched the "Edelsheim" battle group of the 24th Armored Division to the workers' new village, the family area of ​​the Red October factory. Attack.

  From his observation post, Sokov saw seven or eight German tanks slowly moving forward along the streets full of ruins. Behind the tanks, there are groups of German infantrymen with their waists bent.

   "Comrade Commander," Samoilov, who was standing beside Sokov, couldn't help but worry when he saw the scale of the German attack: "The enemy has dispatched so many tanks, can we stop them?"

   "Don't worry, Second Lieutenant Samoilov." Hearing Samoilov's question, Sokov continued to observe the enemy's movement with a telescope, and replied, "We will block them."

Seeing the enemy tanks carefully bypassing the rubble piles on the street and advancing in depth towards the Soviet defense, Sokov couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. He thought to himself, if the anti-tank guns seized on Liumian Street could still If used, the slow-moving tanks of the Germans are living targets for artillery.

  However, all the captured anti-tank guns were exhausted, and when Sokov and the others handed over the defense, none of them were blown up. So now we can only watch the enemy tanks getting closer and closer to the newly established defense line.

   Just then, there was the sound of machine gun fire from a building on the side of the road. Although it was a little far away, Sokov could still hear that what was firing was the Deggarev light machine gun. This machine gun with a capacity of 47 rounds was the most effective fire support weapon for the Soviet army.

  The machine gunner knows that the bullets from the machine gun cannot penetrate the armor of the tank, so his goal is to attack the infantry behind the tank. In a series of gunshots, five or six German soldiers who did not hide in the shooting blind spot were shot and fell to the ground.

Seeing this situation, Sokov couldn't help being overjoyed. He quickly grabbed the phone on the side and said into the microphone: "Lieutenant Colonel Papchenko, order the soldiers to open fire on the German soldiers behind the tank. As long as the infantry is killed, their Tanks are nothing to worry about."

  Following Sokov's order, the soldiers who stayed in the buildings close to the enemy all shot. They obeyed the order, and instead of firing futilely at the tanks, they aimed at the infantry who followed and beat them to death in masses in the streets.

The sudden sound of gunfire startled the commander of the first German tank. When he realized that the bullets flying out of the roadside buildings were shooting at the infantry behind the tank, he immediately understood. The Russians who were shooting had only light weapons and no anti-tank weapons, so they could only shoot at the infantry behind them.

  The commander hurriedly ordered to stop, then turned the muzzle and aimed at the building with the most fierce firepower. The hastily fired shell missed its target and hit a wall instead. Amidst the sound of explosions in the distance, the already crumbling wall collapsed, and the two soldiers hiding behind were unable to dodge in time, and were buried below by the fallen bricks.

  The German tank commander was not satisfied with the results of the battle. He only saw that the machine guns in that building were still firing, constantly causing casualties to the infantry behind the tank. After the gunner finished reloading, he re-directed the muzzle to aim at the position of the machine gun, and decisively gave the order to fire.

   There was a loud bang, and the machine gun that was still firing just now was blown up into parts and splashed everywhere. The main and deputy machine gunners were also blown to a **** mess, falling to the ground and twitching in pain. The surviving ammunition hand quickly dragged the two of them to a relatively safe place, and then shouted at the back: "Health worker, health worker, there are wounded here, come here quickly!"

   Seeing that the firepower of the Soviet army's machine guns had been destroyed, the German tanks, which were still smoking from their muzzles, started up again, bypassed the pile of rubble in front of them, and continued to drive forward along the street. A brave soldier rushed out of a nearby building with a bunch of cluster grenades in his arms. Before he could ignite the fuse, he was shot randomly by German soldiers following the tank and fell straight in the ruins. .

   Seeing his comrades fall, a soldier leaned out half of his body from the window without a window frame, raised the rifle in his hand, and shot at the infantry following the tank. As soon as two shots were fired, the German soldiers downstairs threw a grenade into the window. The explosion sounded, and the soldiers who were shooting flew out of the window with a puff of thick smoke, and fell heavily on the street. The German soldiers standing not far away rushed forward and fired two shots at the soldiers who were trying to struggle.

  Due to the lack of effective anti-tank weapons of the Soviet army, when the German tanks advanced to the small square, only one of them was blown up. In order to blow up the tank, at least twenty fighters paid with their lives.

  After the German tanks came to the small square, they lined up immediately, with their muzzles facing the buildings on one side of the square, ready to use artillery fire to cover their infantry to charge.

Seeing that the German troops had successfully advanced to the small square in the middle of the New Workers' Village, Sokov was also very anxious. He picked up the phone again and asked Papchenko loudly: "Lieutenant Colonel Papchenko, what is going on?" What’s going on? Less than half an hour after the battle started, German tanks actually charged into the small square of the Workers’ New Village. If they were allowed to advance at this speed, they would be able to charge into the factory area in less than an hour.”

Papchenko, who was scolded, said aggrievedly: "Comrade commander, we lack effective anti-tank weapons. We can only use anti-tank grenades or cluster grenades to blow up the enemy's tanks. But the enemy's tanks are covered by infantry behind them. Many anti-tank fighters were shot down by the enemy as soon as they left the building..."

   "The enemy is about to launch an attack on the buildings on the east side of the square." Sokov looked at the row of black cannon muzzles in the distance, and said with a straight face: "I hope you can find a way to block their attack."

"Comrade Commander," Papchenko said with a sad face when he heard Sokov's order, "There is a distance of more than 150 meters from the building to the German tanks in the center of the square. Don't go."

"Lieutenant Colonel Papchenko, it's not enough to be brave enough to fight a war, you have to use your brain." Sukov was really angry at Papchenko's one-sidedness, and he yelled into the microphone Said: "Immediately send people through the sewers, enter the buildings occupied by the German army, and drive them out."

"However, Comrade Commander, if I send people to compete with the enemy for buildings, the frontal defense force will become weak." Papchenko said cautiously: "As long as the enemy attacks me, our frontal defense line will be weakened." It's going to fall apart."

"If the enemy has a firm foothold in the residential area, it is useless for us to hold our existing position." Sukov said angrily: "As long as the Germans find that their rear is not stable, they will not dare to attack." Concentrate all forces to attack you, do you understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Papchenko waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and replied with feeling: "I will immediately send people through the sewer, enter the buildings occupied by the German army, and drive out all the enemies inside. .”

"That's right, Lieutenant Colonel Papchenko." Seeing that the other party agreed to send someone through the sewer to retake the lost building, Sokov said with satisfaction: "Don't worry, you are not fighting alone, I will find a way for you Helpful."

Sokov said so, but he didn't know what to do. If Bely's tank brigade was still in the factory, it only needed a phone call, and a group of T-34s would rush over immediately and take the few cars parked on the square. A Panzer III was used as a target. It's a pity that Bely's troops have been transferred away, and I can only watch the enemy's tanks showing off their might on the opposite side.

  However, Sokov still took chances and called Director Peter, hoping to get some help from him. As soon as the phone was connected, he couldn't wait to say: "Hi, Director Peter, I'm Colonel Sokov, I have something to ask for your help!"

"Hello, Colonel Sokov." When Peter heard the call from Sokov, he thought he was asking about the production of grenades, and quickly replied, "Are you asking about the production of grenades? Don't worry, our The workers have already started production, and they will definitely be able to provide you with enough grenades within the specified time."

  ; "No, Comrade Factory Manager, I called you not about the grenade." Sukov said with some embarrassment: "It's about other things."

   "For something else?" Peter asked puzzled, "What other thing?"

"It's like this, Comrade Factory Director." Sokov explained to Peter: "General Guriyev's 39th Guards Division was transferred by the superior, and now one of my regiments is sticking to the residential area. Due to our lack of Enough anti-tank weapons, so that after some fighting, the enemy tanks have already stormed the square of the Workers' New Village..."

"What, the enemy has already rushed into the square of the Workers' New Village?" Peter jumped up from his seat immediately when he heard this, and said emotionally: "Comrade Colonel, if you can't stop the enemy, they will rush in soon." In the factory area. You know how well the defenses are in the factory area. They can't stop the enemy's armored forces at all..."

   "Yes, I know all about it." Sokov nodded repeatedly and said, "I just called you because of this issue. I hope you can provide us with a few tanks to deal with the enemy's tanks."

"What, do you still want tanks?!" Regarding Sokov's request, Peter said with some embarrassment: "Colonel Sokov, you should know that due to the enemy's attack, our tank production has almost stopped. And the original inventory All the tanks have been handed over to Colonel Bely, and now there is not a single tank."

  Although Sokov had guessed this possibility when he called, but when he heard Peter say that with his own ears, he still felt disappointed. He asked unwillingly: "Then can you provide us with any anti-tank weapons?"

   "There are still a few 85mm anti-aircraft guns," Peter said thoughtfully. "Although there are not many shells, it is not a big problem to deal with the enemy's tanks."

  Sokov has seen those 85mm anti-aircraft guns. If there is no vehicle towing, it is very difficult to drag them from the storage location to the workers' new village. Moreover, there is a war at the moment, if the enemy finds a group of soldiers dragging an anti-aircraft gun coming, they will definitely greet them with artillery fire. Not only will the anti-aircraft guns not be used, but unnecessary casualties will be incurred.

"Comrade Commander," Samoilov was by his side when Sokov commanded defensive operations in the factory area of ​​the Red October Factory. He had seen the scene where the Women's Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion beat up enemy tanks with 37mm antiaircraft guns, and then He whispered aside: "You can also consider 37mm anti-aircraft guns."

One word awakened the dreamer, and Samoilov's words reminded Sokov of the scene of defending the assembly workshop, although most of the tanks that were destroyed were because of the condescending shooting of the 37mm anti-aircraft gun, which penetrated their weak tops caused by armor. But in the current situation, if you shoot at a distance of one or two hundred meters, you can also penetrate the frontal armor of the enemy's No. 3 tank. Sokov quickly said into the microphone: "Comrade director, do you have a 37mm anti-aircraft gun? This kind of anti-aircraft gun is very effective in dealing with enemy tanks at close range."

"Unfortunately, Colonel Sokov." Peter sighed on the phone and said: "All the 37mm anti-aircraft guns in the factory were transferred to the direction of Dzerzhinsky by the Army Command. None." He may have guessed what Sokov was going to ask, so he said first, "As for why there are a few 85mm anti-aircraft guns left, it is because they cannot be transported because there are no tractors, so they stay in the factory."

  With no tanks, not even anti-aircraft guns capable of destroying enemy tanks, Sokov was a little mad. He knew very well in his heart that if he couldn't stop the enemy's tanks, then the defenses built in the workers' new village would soon be torn apart, and he could only watch the enemy rush towards the factory in a mighty way.

Hearing Sokov's silence, Peter felt his irritability, and quickly said: "Colonel Sokov, there is a new model car in the factory, but it has not been tested. If you have no objection, I will take this A tank to you..."

Knowing that there was a prototype of a new tank in the factory, Sokov saw hope again. He hurriedly asked, "Comrade factory director, can you find the driver? If not, I will send someone there immediately." When Cove said this, he even considered in his heart that if there was no driver, he would act as the driver himself.

   "Yes, yes." Fortunately, Peter's answer reassured him: "I have a few tank soldiers here, and I can let them drive this prototype car to support you."

"Peter, this is really great." Seeing that there were tank soldiers ready at Peter's place, Sokov hurriedly urged: "You let those tank soldiers bring the tanks over immediately, I guess the enemy will attack us soon. Attacking."

  (end of this chapter)